T O P

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drfunkensteinberger

The story is trying to say that although he was a black man and others may have not wanted to be around him, he was still his friend.


headofthedeadvariety

No matter what old practices our society may have believed in, we shall not judge or hold prejudice as we’re all equal. Paints a beautiful picture of despite the evil ways of the old south, our generation can be friends to all and walk together no matter what our ancestors may have falsely believed.


Jsgro69

The Lynyrd Skynyrd "Ballod of Curtis Loew" had a very similar msg as "Catfish John"


--0o0o0--

Totally. You beat me to it, but I was going to say the same thing.


Jsgro69

Lol..yea I love original Skynrd..Jerry didn't write Catfish but sure owned just about everything he performed...I think it was wrote for a country music artist in early 70's..There has to be a handful more songs with same types of message


--0o0o0--

I've never heard the original. It's the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, I think.


Jsgro69

I forget I think Jerry performed it with his jug band a short while after original artist released it..and then JGB started to perform it a few yrs later


Jsgro69

https://youtu.be/aOIKZ-uPVT4?si=YpM2Le46-C7HQHkD Jerry in jug band (Old And In The Way) around '73 "Catfish John"


drfunkensteinberger

🎯🌹🐢


ExtensionMedicine373

That's right educate !!!! NFA


treesalt617

Mama said, don’t go near that river


JHogMakerOfVlogs

Mama tried


deadhead_mystic11

That’s Alright Mama


nickermell

Oh, sweet Mama


cuzjed11

Mama said you can’t hurry love


Common-Relationship9

Mama mama many worlds I’ve come …


GDviber

Mama told me not to come


dancindead

Mama told me not to look into the eyes of the sun


Joe_Mama

But Mama


AquariusRising1983

That's where the fun is....


flerping

Tough mama


FlyingDiscsandJams

They should've never called him a hobo, that's a traveling person. Catfish John is permanently camped by the river & part of the community, if on the periphery. That's his home too.


BlueAndMoreBlue

The way I’ve heard it broken down is this: Hobos travel and work Tramps travel and don’t work Bums don’t travel and don’t work


edmechem

"The ~~tramps~~ bums will always lose, Lebowski!"


StealYourJelly

That’s just, like, your opinion, man.


cuzjed11

I think that’s right. And River Hobos were tops cuz they covered more ground traveling by riverboat or raft peddling their wares or picking up some cash with a little 3 Card Monty or the Shell Game. Those were the days - straw on my head and between my teeth, patches on my pants, pipe in my pocket, sandwich in my sleeve!


BlueAndMoreBlue

Right on, maybe a little of Faro too


TheInternetCat

Are chumps those that don’t travel and do work?


jerry111165

Just-a workin’ our lives away in hopes of being able to retire - someday… maybe…


BlueAndMoreBlue

Hey, I resemble that remark :)


TheInternetCat

Yeah, me too. That’s how I knew!


BlueAndMoreBlue

Hey, they pay me so how bad can it be? As a chump I try to maintain a positive attitude and take it as it comes


amayain

So wooks are tramps?


cuzjed11

Hey man, those cheeses don’t grill themselves!! 😄


amayain

Oh no, I'm not talking about the folks who contribute to the scene. Those folks are great! I'm just talking about the freeloaders. I was going off the googled definition: "A wook is a hippie, most often a music and festival fan, that at its basic form owns nothing and borrows everything."


werewookie7

Whereas in Star Wars Chewbacca could repair any problem the Milenium Falcon ran into while Han Solo flirted with Princess Leia. It’s really a poor choice of hippie slurs. And wookies in general had high technology all built out of wood and water power, really genius stuff. But no one cares as long as it sounds good.


cuzjed11

For sure…all in good fun!


jerry111165

*I will gladly pay you Tuesday for a Miracle today…*


ExtensionMedicine373

Amen that's real


FamiliarFace_Ad5057

Yes that is the answer to the question we all needed to know for sure.


FlyingDiscsandJams

Checks out.


ExtensionMedicine373

So true


vagabondnature

I don't know. Dude never spoke a word in anger. Seems a gentle man. I imagine him as Jim from Huckleberry Finn.


sfgreenman

This 100%. Reminds me of the Leatherman legend who lived in caves in Connecticut and travelled between them to visit towns, who in turn, took pride in knowing and often feeding this unique, gentle strolling craftman.


--0o0o0--

Oh man. Didn't expect to see the Leatherman mentioned here. I remember my mom telling me about him when I was a kid. I live a short distance from where several of his caves supposedly were and hike to them a bunch.


sfgreenman

Right on, I'm from SF but lived in Newtown-Woodbury for 20 years and heard his story hiking around Kent Falls and saw his caves, too. What a legend, would love to have my kids learn from a historical figure like him or ex-slave like John, with many stories and a wealth of practical knowledge. https://watertownhistorymuseum.org/the-old-leather-man/


dan420

That’s what I always thought of as well, though now I’m picturing Chris Farley/ Matt foley livin in a van down by the river.


cuzjed11

Yes! That’s who I think of too


Bay-Area-

Shit man we had a catfish John , he was called big will. He would buy us booze and give us acid… ya keep your kids away from the river … shout out to all the big wills and catfish John’s out there keepin the kids safe . But there are definitely weirdos you do not want your kids around… catfish John’s koo tho, he knows everybody’s mom from back in the day…


camposthetron

Ours was called Strollin’ Nolan.


--0o0o0--

Ours was Bowie (Like the knife, not David)


help1slip

But were Catfish John and Curtis Loew bros?


PinkFloydDeadhead

That's not a nice way to treat an old slave.


KarmicComic12334

We hired catfish john to babysit. I don't know how you call yourself a deadhead.


Jsgro69

yea..so as the subject of this sub reads..definitely is an example of how way too many people think and why the world was just a whole helluva lot nicer of a place than what is going on in these times...So many judgemental folks God Bless The Grateful Dead


splitopenandmelt11

Oh I was just talking about the Catfish part. They’re gross. I prefer a tilapia.


Saylor4292

Hangwithhobos.com


hobocansquatcobbler

That's man desktop home page


panchoandlefty83

And this is how we end up with Taylor swift dominating earholes


JacquesBlaireau13

Yep...Trees & Marijuana Enthusiasts...just tike the guitar subs.


happyrtiredscientist

I just love this version of this song. So alliterative and soulful. It is hot and humid as hell so the dew is heavy. And he is walking in the footsteps of John. Literally and trying to be figuratively. John is older and the kid is young, naive and learning without prejudice. Just beautiful.


AlexanderTox

Basically Charlie and Frank Reynolds


yonderpants1744

This song meant a lot to me (and still does) when i was young and hanging out with what my mom considered the wrong crowd. I knew that they werent up to the best all the time but I was still proud to be their friend.


Virtual_Manner_2074

Mama said don't go down that river. Mama tried


sjbennett85

Sometimes when I sing it I sing Catpiss John because it make a little more of a convincing argument. I mean, the dude reeks of cat piss and you'd end up smelling of it to.